The present invention relates to a securing and adjustment device particularly for ski boots.
As is known, ski boots are currently commercially available comprising a device for securing the foot inside the shell, such as for example the device illustrated in the U.S. Pat. No 4192,087 filed February 1978, comprising a presser constituted by two shell-shaped elements which laterally embrace the foot and can be tightened against one another by means of a screw which interacts therewith, said screw possibly having an eccentric element, said stem of said screw having opposite threads.
The disadvantage observable in this kind of known solution resides in the fact that it is constructively very complicated and in that the adjustment is substantially performed by acting on the screw, since the eccentricity, if any, must be low for reasons of lateral bulk.
It has been furthermore observed that acting on the sides of the foot causes discomfort or fatigue since the lateral bones of the foot are compressed.
As a consequence of this, the sole of the foot can remain raised due to the arching of the foot, consequently causing loss of sensitivity on the skis.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,193,215 filed on July 10, 1978, discloses an eccentric lever which rotates a pivot which is rigidly coupled with a presser overlying the foot.
This solution, too, has disadvantages, since the opening of the lever allows the pivot a limited stroke and therefore an insufficient release of the foot and it is furthermore necessary to rotate said lever to complete both the release and the securing.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,581,831 filed on 12.6.1983 discloses a ski boot internally having a presser pivoted at one end at the tip region, interacting with a pivot the position whereof can be changed by means of a lever or a screw.
This invention, too, has disadvantages, among which a nil or very difficult adjustment of the securing degree the solution being furthermore rather complicated and bulky.
In order to simplify the operation of the presser arranged at the foot instep, the Italian patent application No. 20828 B/84, filed on 12.10.1984 in the name of NORDICA S.p.A., discloses an actuation device comprising a shaped pin extending from a foot instep presser arrangeable inside the shell; a threaded pivot couples snap-together with said pin and rotatably engages the inner thread of a bush rotatably supported by the shell.
An actuation knob is furthermore provided and is associable snap-together with the bush and can be accessed from the outside of the boot.
Though both the actuation and the assembly of the device are simplified, it is nonetheless not possible to rapidly release the foot for example during short stops at ski-lifts.
Italian patent No. 196589 filed on 4.10.1984 discloses a foot presser device comprising a control lever and a cam which actuates a tappet slidable inside a hollow screw which can be screwed to a female thread fixed to the boot.
Said tappet interacts with a coaxial spring which pushes a point connected to an underlying presser.
This device however has the disadvantage of comprising a large number of components and is furthermore scarcely compact and not immediately actuatable.
According to the degree of securing, the screw and the lever furthermore vary their height with respect to the plane of the boot, this being unsatisfactory both aesthetically and functionally.
Italian patent application No. 41619 A/84 filed on 8.9.1984 discloses a device comprising a presser body having a rocker element interacting with teeth, said presser body acting on a partition arranged above the foot instep.
The adjustment of the compression of the foot instep performed by this device, however, requires a considerable effort on the part of the user, as he has to press directly at the rocker element.